Finding out the gender

[Ldougal92]

I am WAY off needing to decide this but just pre-thinking. Who decided to find out the gender? So torn on whether to wait or not x

We chose not to. First baby and love newborns in neutral and white clothes. Think it helped with buying practical rather than being swayed by pretty bits and made washing so much easier as it was all similar colours.

Plus it was a lovely feeling finding out when I have birth. The only downside was having to think of 2 sets of names and when she got here, it took weeks to settle on one.

I chose to find out with my son as I was too impatient and I loved it. I had a strong feeling he was a boy anyway so it just confirmed it for me.

Second time around now and we did contemplate a surprise to see what it’s like doing it the other way but actually really liked finding out at the scan and didn’t feel like we missed out on anything so we’ll be finding out again if we can.

It’s true that it’s still a surprise whenever you find out.

Love hearing both sides - thank you :)

I always imagined I’d prefer the surprise but when it came to it both times we decided to find out and we really liked it that way! Everyone has a different experience obviously but for us we felt like finding out at the scan made it all feel more real to us. Also I found just meeting the baby on the day was a big enough moment in itself that I didn’t need to hear ‘it’s a boy/girl’ for the first time although I can equally see why people chose to hold out for the surprise. 🤷‍♀️

We are having DC4 and have decided to wait to find out. We found out with our other children so thought we'd do it a little differently this time round.

You cannot find out the gender, but you can find out your baby’s sex.

Congratulations and good luck!

No. It was the only surprise. Had no urge at all to find out, the complete opposite actually and people couldn't understand it

No - we waited. It didn’t matter which and we’re not a pink for a girl, blue for a boy people. They wore whatever colour clothes we were given!

Sex not gender

I found out at 20 weeks with my first pregnancy and really enjoyed the knowing he was a boy and being able to prepare. Second pregnancy 18 months later and something shifted in us where all we cared about was that all was well with the baby so we left it as a surprise. When she came out the surprise was amazing. Sorry not much help but I loved both ways!

We decided not to find out first time and had a lovely surprise when DS was born. I had a strong feeling I was having a boy and only picked boy names.

Second time felt practical to find out (so we knew what to keep or donate from DS). We found out we were having a girl.

I enjoyed both experiences.

Quite right! Sex not gender x

We found out at 16 weeks, had a private scan. Never understood the 'ruining the surprise' argument - it was still a surprise when we found out! It just meant we could cut our potential names list in half...!

I didnt find out the sex of either of mine. Loved the surprise. I always feel slightly disappointed when I hear the sex or other people's babies when they're pregnant plus I don't dress my kids in blue/pink so it made no difference to my prep. I think it depends on what your personal preference is, I would have been disappointed with my first to find out he was a boy before he arrived which was another key piece of reasoning for us.

Waiting to find out at the birth was never an option for me, it just didn't appeal at all. I have loved knowing, and being able to say He instead of they when talking about him. It made everything just seem so much more real, and I instantly could just picture this little boy in our lives. Since knowing he was in there, I just wanted to know as much about him as possible, so to me it just made sense to find out if he was a boy or a girl.

I can definitely see why people wait, I'm sure it adds to the excitement of the day and the build up, but it's just not for me. I'm already so excited already, I can't imagine anything adding to that!

I remember wondering about this too, when someone was like ohh you've ruined the surprise... I was like em no, it was a massive surprise, just slightly earlier!!

We found out as I'm far too impatient.

We didn't tell family and friends that we knew, so it was our little secret until he arrived!

I didn't with my DD (8)

Only very early in this pregnancy but have already beforehand discussed if we want to find out the gender.

I don't want to and my DP does. Still got ages to go until that's even an option but I loved the surprise of not finding out first time round, I was convinced I was having a boy and my daughter entered the world, was amazing when my late mum told me the sex 🥰

I'm due in 3 weeks with our first and we've chose not to find out. Although I'm 99% certain it's a boy! I think if we had a 2nd we also wouldn't find out as I just love the not knowing. You don't get many surprises in life!

First baby here due in Jan. We were not at all tempted to find out the sex and can’t wait for the surprise at birth. I feel as if knowing we are about to find out will help get me through labour.

Nope ,I have 4dc and not found out with any of them but I was so sure the last one was a boy I actually told people I was having a boy when I was asked , I was right .

Didn't find out as wanted the surprise, cue 22 hour back to back labour, didn't even have the energy to ask what the baby was, just remember falling back and almost passing out. So looking back I'd probably have had more of a 'surprise' at 20 week scan. Having said that my friends who had shorter straight forwards labour say it's the best feeling finding out when baby is born.

We had a surprise first time, and I'm now pregnant again and planning another surprise. First time my labour was long and hideous, and I'd also been certain from very early than he was a boy, so I didn't really enjoy the moment - I just have a memory of woozily seeing a pair of testicles looming above me as he was held up over the curtain! I'm having an ELCS this time and am hoping for a slightly nicer experience of it!

I found out with DD and will do again. I loved knowing, it felt like I was preparing for the arrival of my daughter as opposed to “a baby”. Finding out I was having a girl was a really lovely memory in its own right and, given the prolonged, agonising and exhausting nature of my labour I’m glad I didn’t hang out for an announcement and expect it to be magical. I think I actually fell asleep once I heard her cry.

It was also still a surprise to see her face and beautiful dark hair and eyes and find out how chunky she was, the sex isn’t the only thing that you can look forward to finding out about.

Do you mean the sex?